Bulgari – American Energy, a film by Petra Collins

This year, Bulgari celebrates its 45 years in New York. For the occasion, the Maison turned to the visionary artist, Petra Collins, to make a short film recounting the brand’s history in the american city since Nicola Bulgari’s arrival in the 70’s. The New York Flagship store on Fifth avenue and 57th street were recently renovated and re-opened. Discover the Italian elegance of Bulgari through pieces of jewelry from the From Rome to New York collection and sold only in the 5th Avenue Bulgari store.

Discussing of the lume, rather than being applied directly into the bridges it has instead been contained inside tubes made from a substance called “ITR2,” which Bulgari functions as a distinctive composite material with metal-like properties and “laden” with carbon nanotube particles. Exactly how or why this material is beneficial to the layout is unclear. Carbon nanotubes can offer exceptionally black surfaces which absorb virtually all light, and also have been used in watch dials such as the Panerai Lab-ID Luminor Carbotech (hands-on here), so perhaps the usage of ITR2 is a visual improvement to diffuse or limit the luminosity of the hour indicators.The crown of the timepiece works in an unusual fashion, with an integrated pusher that activates a red dot in 3 o’clock which suggests that the watch is in time-setting mode. Rotating the crown in this mode sets the time, and the next press of the incorporated pusher induces the red dot to evaporate and locks that the time-setting mechanism. While this should enable faster alterations than a typical screw-down or pull-out crown, then wearers may want to take care not to accidentally engage the pusher with the rear of their wrists. Minor caveat aside, the odd mechanism does add some visual interest to the dial, having the ability to watch the time-setting function engage and disengage.Within the Bulgari Octo Tourbillon Sapphire defeats the manually-wound grade BVL 206, including a flying tourbillon at 6 o’clock, 20 jewels, and a generous 64 hour power reserve with a luminescent green power reserve indicator visible through the sapphire exhibition caseback. The case is water-resistant to 5 ATM or approximately 50m, which is remarkable considering the unusual layout element of a sapphire crystal ring running the circumference of this case. This allows for seeing the movement from any angle also helps to show those off lume-filled ITR2 tubes. The opinion comes attached to a rubber-lined black alligator leather strap with either a ceramic or a 18k pink gold folding clasp, depending on the version.